Ivan wolff



I. WOLFF RAIL JOINT May 30, 1933.

Filed Jan. 12, 1932 A ITORNEY Patented May 30, 1933 PATENT OFFICE IVAN WOLFE, OF NEW Y'ORK, N. Y.

RAIL JOINT Application filed January 12, 1932.

This invention relates to rail joints, and aims generally to provide a device of this character which will be strong, reliable, inexpensive, simple, easy to apply, and novel in structure and function.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a rail joint which will not only securely couple the individual rails joined, but one which will hold such joined rails against previous undesirable deviation from longitudinal and lateral alignment incident to the passage of a load-supporting track wheel over the rail joint, while, further, reducing if not eliminating entirely any and all bending or twisting stresses and strains imparted to the joined rails at or near a joint as heretofore set up, as such wheel rolls along one rail toward said joint and thence over the latter and thence along the other rail away from said oint.

A further special object of the invention is to provide a rail joint as characterized hereinbefore, which will nevertheless prevent a sagging or downward bending of the rail ends under any normal loads.

All previous rail joints of which I am aware have involved simply attachment into place of one or more plates at one or both sides of the abutted rail ends, with these plates clamped in some suitable manner against the webs of the'rails to overlap the meeting rail ends.v Such joint, in the case of a well balanced track bed and a. carefully laid line of rails, has sufliced to maintain the top and side surfaces of the rail heads in alignment at the time when such alignment is not most needed, that is, when rolling stock is not on the rails. WVhile, however, a load-carrying track wheel is passing over a pair of thus aligned rails at and in the vicinity of the joint, stresses and strains and distortions occur. For one thing, the rail bear ing a wheel load is depressed more and more as such wheel approaches closer and closer to the rail ahead with the result that at the instant said wheel passes over the joint between the rails there is a distinct level difference between the rails at opposite sides of the joint. It is well known that the speed of a train having trucks of the highest shock ab-' Serial No. 536,137.

sorbing quality as used on the finest passenger trains, and travelling over the most perfect road bed, over a most carefully laid track according to present day rail joining, may be calculated readily by any passenger thereon, who, knowing the standard length of a track rail, will take the trouble to count the number of shocks each accompanied by a definite clicking noise occurring during any selected interval of time. This fact, however, is symptomatic merely of one of the undesirable conditions brought about by track joints as today established. Not only are meeting rail ends given difierential levels, as just stated, by the rolling thereover of a wheel, but both the meeting rail ends are simultaneously depressed, that is, sprung downward relative to the main lengths of the rails, incident to the passage over a rail joint of any truck, at the instant when a forward wheel of the truck is rolling over the rail ahead while a rear wheel of that truck is passing over the concluding rail. As soon as the rear wheel has also passed beyond the joint, the rear end of the rail ahead is now the one which is depressed, thereby to re-establish another distinct level difference between the rails on opposite sides of the joint. Thus, every time a rolling stock unit passes over a rail joint, one rail is end-sprung downward against its own natural elastic set, then the other rail is end-sprung downward against its own natural elastic set, then the first mentioned rail end swings up following load release, and then the second mentioned rail end swings up following load release. The crystalline structure of the steel rails is thereby repeatedly subjected to deteriorating treatment, tending to originate weaknesses in a perfect rail and to hasten cracking or other serious injury in a rail having a latent defect. Again, the web of a rail is relatively very thin and flexible laterally, as compared to the more massive rail base and rail head; sidesway of rolling stock, particularly on a curved length of track, is transmitted through a wheel flange against a side of the rail head; and, consequently, where track joints, as now constructed, are passed by a truck, the same springings and elastic backtial as between the rail head and web. Due to the filletting between the rail head and the rail base, and the web, and other practical diiiiculties, a plate applied against meeting web ends as above described for the making of a rail joint in accordance with present practice cannot be so tightly fitted at its upper and lower edges between the rail head and rail base, and made of an adequate length and properly massive, and mounted in place suiiiciently rigidly, as to obviate, to other than a negligible extent, the stresses, strains and deformations above discussed. Furthermore, in laying the track, there is always the serious problem of determining exactly what gap shall be allowed between abutted rail ends to permit rail expansion and contraction. If such gap be too great, the alignment and continuity of the track in unusually cold weather, may be intolerably interrupted, with the discontinuity due to such gap aggravated by the misalignment due to vertical and horizontal bendings and twistings as aforesaid. If, on the other hand, such gap be eliminated ormade too small, provision is not made for necessary rail expansion in unusually hot weather.

According to the present invention, all these difficulties are overcome by removing from the rail ends various selected portions thereof, and by providing, in combination therewith, and as parts of the rail joint structure, fillers for removed railportions; with the removed rail portions so located as to permit other rail portions and said fillers and other parts of the rail joint structure to coact (a) to allow thermal expansions and contractions of the rails while maintaining a minimum gap at the tops of the rail heads, (6) to preclude one rail end from being sprung downward by any track load without an equivalent and accompanying down springing of the meeting rail end, (0) to minimize down bending of any rail end relative to the main length of that rail, (cl) in combination with the foregoing, always to maintain absolute rail alignment, by preventing horizontal bending or twisting of one rail end relative to the remainder of that rail and relative to any portion of the meeting rail.

' In an approved way of carrying out the invention, I remove from the rail ends portions of the under parts ofthe rail heads and portions of the webs, so that, when the rails are joined end to end in the usual manner there will be at such joining a clear-through opening at the under sides of the meeting rail heads, and a clear-through opening at the meeting webs between the rail heads and the rail bases, with each of such openings preferably substantially equally extended on opposite sides of the meeting end portions of the two rails. The rail head opening is desirably such as to represent in height from onequarter to somewhat more of the height of the rail head from top to bottom, and of a length approximately twice that of said rail head height; while the web opening is desirably somewhat less long than high, and of less length than the rail head opening. These openings are for the accommodation of inserts, desirably shaped to fit nicely therein. Such inserts are preferably formed unitary with or secured to each other; and they are also preferably formed unitary with or secured to one of a pair of side plates laid over both sides of the web opening and extending beyond the opposite ends thereof and there bolted or suitably secured to the webs of the meeting rails. The insert for the opening in the rail heads is desirably a horizontal plate or equivalent, adapted to act-as a cantilever or vertical-thrList-interlocking means between the meeting rail heads. The other insert, for the opening in the rail webs, is desirably a vertical plate or equivalent, adapted to act as a vertical-thrust-transmitting means between the upper insert and the rail base, and, in combination with the two side plates, the upper insert and the contiguous portions of the rail webs, as a rail joint completing structure wherein said plates and the rail ends are rigidly coupled and afford strength and rigidity contributing components which not only are mutually fortifying but which are massive without necessitating undesirable or unusual increase of rail thickness at the oint.- In the illustrative structure of the accompanying drawing, the upper insert is a horizontal plate, unitary with a vertical plate constituting the lower insert, these plates are unitary with one of the side plates, and the vertical plate is of the same thickness as the rail web; the plates forming the upper and lower inserts have straight and parallel end edges; andthe other side plate is a plain flat one. In combination with the rail end cutouts and inserts of the invention, however they be shaped, and however they be associated with each other and with the side plates, suitable keying means are employed between the upper insert and the overlying portions of the rail heads, and, desirably also, suitable keying means are employed between thelower insert and/ or one or both of the side plates and the underlying portions of the railbases. In the illustrative structure of the accompanying drawing, the upper keying means is embodied as a plurality of keyseach 'in its own keyway; and the lower'keying means is similarly embodied, with one such key'below a part of the side plate unitary withthe lowor insert and opposite the latter, and another such key opposite the key last mentioned and below the other side plate.

The invention will be-more clearly understood from the following description of said drawing in detail, which illustratively shows an embodiment of the invention as now preferred, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of two abutting rail ends equipped with said embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the ar-- rangement shown in Fig. 1, the section being taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a, perspective view showing certain of the parts of Figs. 1 and 2 in a unitary structure including a horizontal plate as the upper insert and a vertical plate as the lower insert;

Fig. at is a perspective view showing one of the abutting rail ends shaped to accommodate said inserts and having one form of keying means as aforesaid;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the plain side plate which can be used in the present case; and

Fig. 6 is a side view of a rail end shaped as in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 10 indicates the end of one abutting rail which is to be joined to the end 11 of the other rail. In order to apply the parts shown in Figs. 3 and 4, each rail end is cut away or otherwise shaped so that the lower portion of the rail head 12 will be removed at the end of the rail, as indicated at 13, and the whole height of the web 14 will also be removed to a certain distance inwardly from the end of the rail, as indicated at 15, said inward removal of the web 14, however, extending to a somewhat lesser distance than the length of the removed portion 13 of the head of the rail. The base 16 or" the rail will remain. intact. As shown, the length of each rail head opening is about equal to the height of the rail head from top to bottom, and the height of each such opening is approximately one-quarter the height of the rail head.

I provide two supporting side plates 17 and 18, respectively, which will be placed at the two sides of the webs of the two abutting rails overlapping said webs to a desired distance. Plate 17 is shaped with the peculiar formation shown in Fig. 3 so as unitarily to include as the lower insert aforesaid a vertical plate 20 and as the upper insert aforesaid a transverse or horizontal plate 21 centered over the plate 20.

In joining the rail ends plate 17 will be placed along one side thereof, to cause vertical plate 20 to be received into the space provided by the removed portions 15 of the webs 1 1 of the rails, which plate is identical in thickness and height with said webs, and to cause the horizontal plate 21 to be received into the space provided by the removedipor tions 13 of the rail heads 12, which plate is identical in width and thickness with the width and height of said removed portions.

Plate 18 will then be placed along the them with'the aid of the new joint. As

shown, I provide corresponding slots 25 in the abutting rail heads and rail bases and place a key 26 in each pair of such corresponding slots, said slots in the present case being so placed in the heads and in the bases of the rail ends, respectively, that the side plates 17 and 18 will keep the lower keys 26 in place, and the transverse plate 21 will keep the upper keys 26 in place, when the device is assembled.

The abutting rail ends may be laid to provide precisely the gap required to take care of contraction of the rails, particularly of the rail heads; for example, a gap as indicated in Fig. 1. As also shown in this view, the horizontal plate '21 and the vertical plate 20 are so fitted within their receiving openings in the rail heads and rail webs, that is, are made somewhat shorter in length than such openings, as to permit relative longitudinal sliding of the rail heads on the horizontal plate 21. without a. rail head or rail base amming against either of the plates 21 and 20 and the keys 26 are similarly fitted in their keyways, to permit relative longitudinal slidings between said keys and their keyways and/or between said keys and said horizontal plate 21 and the side plates 17 and 18.

Thus a simple and easily applicable rail joint of a novel and valuable type is provided, and one, further, which attains all the objects and advantages of the invention heretofore mentioned. This rail joint not only joins the rails but supports the rail heads for a considerable distance in both directions from their point of joining. The meeting rail ends, both at the rail heads and rail bases, are interlocked by thekeying means against misalignment transversely of the'tracks; while the other'parts of the joint coact with'the track parts to hold the meeting rails and'particularly the rail heads against misalignment lengthwisely of the tracks, and this without permitting. differential stresses as between the rail heads and rail webs. Depressions of the meeting rail ends under track load are uniform, and comparatively'slight, thus reducing thedown springing of a rail end from the main length of itsrail, due to the equalized transmission of. differential loads at any instant imposed on such rails. In part due to the action of the keying means, any side springing of a rail end from the main length of its rail, and particularly of a rail head relative to its web, isalmost completely if not completely eliminated. True rail alignment in all directions is'maintained at all times, and not only this, but the two meeting rails are in. effect made a single continuous rail structure,yet easy and. quick track laying and repairing are possible, and thermal expansion. amply provided for. The vertical plate is a compensatory reinforcement for the removed webportions, and at the same time connects the abutting rails at the joint in such manner astodistribute ideally all pressures laterally of the track and to assist the cantilever action of the horizontal plate 21 by acting against the underlying rail bases while said plate 21 acts against the rail webs below the same.

While I have described-in detail a preferred embodiment as illustrated in the drawing, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be resorted to which are within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claimas new, is:

1. In a device for detachably joining the abutting rail ends of a pair of rails each having a transverse base, an upstanding web and a transverse head thereon,v the combination of a vertical supporting plate along one side of said webs overlapping the two rail ends, means to detachably secure said plate to each rail. end, and a transverse plate on said vertical supporting plate underneath the abutting heads of the rails, said vertical supporting plate having an enlarged center portion, and theadjoining portions of said webs being removed to provide a space for said enlargedportion;

2. In a device for detachably joining the abutting rail ends of a pair of rails each hav ing a transverse base,an upstanding web and a transverse head thereon, the combination of a vertical supporting plate along one side of said webs overlapping the two rail ends, means to detachably secure said plate to each rail end, and a transverse plate onsaid vertical supporting plate underneath the abutting heads of. the rails,'said vertical supporting plate carrying a lateral enlargement intermediate its endsand the adjoining portions of said webs being removed to provide a space for said enlargement, the lower sides of'said abutting railiheads having portions removed therefrom to permit the passage of said transverse plate thereunder. 1

3. In a device for detachably joining the abutting rail. ends of a pair of rails each having a transverse base, an. upstanding web'and a transverse head thereon, the combination of a vertical supportingplate along one side of said webs overlapping the two rail ends, a second Vertical supporting plate along the opposite side of said webs overlapping the two rail ends, said rail ends having portions removed from adjoining portions of their webs to provide a lower recess and also having portions removed from adj oininglower portions of their heads to provide an upper recess, a vertical block fittabl-e facewisely in said lower recess, a transverse plate fittable endwisely in said upper recess, and means-to secure said vertical supporting plates to both rail ends thereby to secure said transverse plate and said vertical block against leaving their said recesses.

4. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein one of said vertical supporting plates carries said vertical block and also said transverse plate.

5. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein auxiliary keying means are provided for holding the rail ends against lateral misalignment, such keying means including a key held in place by the location of said transverse plate in its recess.

6. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein said transverse plate is longer than said vertical block in the direction of rail extension and projects at both its opposite ends beyond the opposite ends of said vertical block.

Signed at New York City, in the county of New York, and State of New York, thisfifth day of January, 1932.

IVAN WOLFF. 

